The business and culture of our digital lives, from the L.A. Times

LeapFrog jumps into tablet market with LeapPad

June 29, 2011 | 6:42
pm

Educational toy maker LeapFrog is jumping into the tablet market.

With so many youngsters bypassing kid-oriented toys and hogging their parents' iPad instead, the Emeryville,Calif., company is scrambling to stay relevant by introducing a tablet for children called the LeapPad.

The 5-inch tablet will feature a camera, a video recorder, 2 GB of storage, a touch screen and big buttons designed for little hands. The $99 gadget will be released on Aug. 15; the company is taking preorders here beginning Wednesday.

LeapPad "is a multifunctional learning tablet that can ignite children's imaginations and learning, but also handle a little rough and tumble play," said Craig Hendrickson, LeapFrog chief product officer, in a statement announcing the tablet.

Young consumers can choose between green-and-white or pink-and-white versions, as well as more than 100 learning games and apps (for download or in separate game cartridges). Games auto-adjust the level of difficulty for kids; each book app comes with three versions for different reading levels.